Bird in a Gilded Cage
by soulgyal
Summary: A mysterious girl from a faroff land finds herself, through a series of circumstances, a prince's pet, in the Fire Lord's palace.  How did she get to this point and what will become of her in a world where jealousy and passion are all she's subjected to
1. Chapter 1: Broken Wings

This is my first fanfic EVAR, so be gentle, you guys! It's about Prince Zuko and an original character of mine, plus some other familiar faces! Kind of romantic and angsty, and I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender or any of these reeeeally awesome characters so don't sue: )

Chapter 1: Broken Wings

If their circumstances had been different, Leelee thought, maybe she wouldn't have had to find herself in such a compromising and unfortunate situation. Her body was covered in gold, bedecked in pearls that reflected the light that she so naturally emanated, but she was miserable. A prisoner of the man she thought she loved…. she thought loved her. Now, instead of finding comfort in his arms, she found only more and more reasons to shed tears every night. Instead of a vessel of love, her body was now simply property of the firelord's son, the sovereign prince of his nation…. the one she once thought she loved…

"Zuko," she whispered into the luscious silk sheets and pillows she retreated to alone every night. Tearstains were beginning to mar them. She would be scolded for that soon. Be called ungrateful. No one would dare touch her though. Not this body, not this skin which His Highness found so much pleasure in. Damaging her body would be the same as damaging the prince's own property, and that could carry over as a capital offense in the Fire Nation. No, no one dared touch her. In fact people have gone out of their way to avoid her altogether now, just to be safe. That is, unless they outranked her. And seeing the affections so lavishly showered upon her by the prince, simply because his desire could no longer be requited on her part, made the ladies of court and Fire Nation aristocracy jealous. Especially Lady Mai…

An eligible, and most handsome man of royal upbringing, Zuko found himself the focus of attention for many a beautiful lady in the realm. The most eligible of them all being Lady Mai, the pale-skinned, ebony-haired beauty of a daughter of a powerful Fire Nation governor, and the most promising prospect to marry the young prince. All the other ladies fumed at the way Zuko would call upon her for afternoon tea, and afterwards would return her to the palace with a grand procession. They fumed even more at the young lady's disposition towards her seemingly stricken lover.

Always one to remain aloof and emotionally distant, as it was taught a true lady of aristocratic blood should be, Mai never seemed to return Zuko's constant affections. She always received him with a coy smile and an exchange of kind and hinting words that would keep the prince coming back again and again in hopes of somehow breaking through the blue-blooded shell she had formed around her persona. He seemed to fail miserably every time. Mai found this futile struggle amusing.

Truth be told, she loved Zuko, more than her upbringing could ever allow her to express, but she knew that as long as the prince remained eligible, the certainty of her taking the side of the throne that would be his was still under question. Not that she was marrying for the power and possibility of becoming the next Fire Lady, but it was a wonderful perk, she had to admit. More importantly, however, was the question of who would win the prince's heart…or at least his utmost affections, and the answer to that question was one Mai found very troubling at the present moment.

Though, officially, the prince had only one suitor in status, Mai knew that within the palace walls were a throng of women who were vying for his heart's attentions, and that was the prize she held most important.

The ladies of court, ambassadors from far off lands, of course there weren't too many of them in the Fire Nation for the past 5 years during which time the war with the other nations had worsened, and also the courtesans of the Prince's own harem. One would think a glorified whore wouldn't cause Lady Mai to blink twice, but there was one girl which tried her patience and her stability time and time again. That girl…that prisoner from the lands of the Light. Leelee was her name. Zuko liked to address her as his "most rare and precious flower," indulging himself in the sight of her gorgeous burnt-copper skin, curly, fragrant, jet-black hair, and deep, bottomless brown eyes. Mai despised her with all her might. Why? Because even though Mai held Zuko's attention and respect as a fellow child of stock and substance, Leelee was the one who held Zuko's love. Though he never spoke to confirm it, Mai could see it, his love for Leelee, always burning in his eyes. When the girl walked past, bedecked in jewels, her hips swaying seductively, Mai could sense Zuko burn for her, even if he was in her own presence. He would find her in the late afternoons and sit with her near the turtle-duck ponds, exchanging sparse and sweet words with her, despite the girl's hesitancy to comfortably receive the prince's advances.

But what made Mai burn with fury the most was the fact that Leelee, that gilded wench, had _known_ Zuko. She knew it and it ate away at ever fiber of her being, the fact that her prince had probably touched, had probably found passion and desire in the girl's body over and over again, while due to her status, it was a given that Mai, herself, was forbidden to commit to such dangerous and consequential acts as casual lovemaking, especially with the heir to the Fire Nation's throne. She knew there was nothing that she could do about the situation, at least not until she and Zuko were wed. Then, by Agni, she would have that Light Bender killed. Tortured for every night of lovemaking she had enjoyed with her Zuko and then executed. Until that splendid day arrived, however, Mai had to settle for simply making the girl's life miserable in every way _she_ possibly could.

…And she did. Leelee found only lament in her predicament. Some nights she would have to surrender herself unwillingly to the man she once loved and who once knew what love for her meant, and some days she would have to surrender herself unwillingly to the vicious jealousy of Lady Mai.

Leelee touched the bruised spot on her shoulder and winced at the pain. Lady Mai had dug her long sharp fingernails into that flesh earlier that day. She witnessed Leelee receiving a gorgeous new necklace, compliments of the prince for a "night's-worth of "good work," as he called it and demanded that she be allowed to place such a perfect treasure on to such a fortunate creature as Leelee. Having done so she immediately dug her nails into the poor girl's flesh and bent low to whisper into her ear.

"Though you may be fortunate enough to receive the prince's affections for being…_under_ him, never forget who will be the one by his _side_ when his time truly comes." She had drawn blood by the end of her cold sentence, and without another word, turned face and swept silently out of Leelee's chamber.

And here she found herself weeping tonight, both her flesh and pride bruised, again. Far away from the sweet young man she once knew. Far away from the home she once loved and the people who understood her most, surrounded by cold silks and satins of dark red and wine colours. Isolated to a large, heavily decorated and accommodating chamber. Zuko demanded she be given her own quarters, for, as he liked to say,

"She is not a courtesan, nor a prisoner like any other. Though she will not be allowed to leave the palace grounds, she is allowed to roam wherever she pleases upon this land. Treat her with the utmost respect, for although she is a prisoner, she is still my close companion. Anyone who disrespects her will have to answer to me."

"Ha," Leelee scoffed. What a joke. What was respect worth if she couldn't even get it from the one who meant the most to her? And of course everyone knew just what type of "companion," Zuko meant by only a week after she had arrived. Soon they began to look at her like a… a…

Leelee sighed and shook her head free of the thoughts. She closed her eyes and forced herself to go back, back in time. Past the moment when she had first met Zuko in disguise while she worked in Ba Sing Se as a seamstress' apprentice. Past her wanderings across the four nations of this realm. Back to when she first left her own lands, the lands of the People of the Light. She was innocent then, and hearing about the war, so far distanced from it, something had screamed inside of her to leave her home and find a way to help cease the carnage. She had heard rumors of an Avatar, an earthbound medium between this world and the spirit world that was supposed to bring peace to all the lands, and she wanted to find him or her. She remembered how the Earth, Water, and Fire nations had seemed so far away then, almost a fairytale that the Air nomads who were passing through her lands used to tell her when she was small. Things never really became clear and solid for her until she had set foot upon the soil of the Earth Kingdom, dragging herself wretched and hungry onto the shore from her elaborate, Lightlands boat before finally passing out. When she came to, she was lying by a healthy flame in the hearth of a small but comfortable Earth Kingdom home while a few distant voices excitedly discussed the fact that a rare Lightlands inhabitant had washed up upon their shore of all places.

A middle-aged man and woman with genuine smiles and hearts to match made sure she had plenty to eat that evening and the morning after. After hearing the reason for her almost impossible journey, the man and woman decided that Leelee would do more good by offering her services where they were needed, helping the wife of the house with her small seamstress service within the outer ring of Ba Sing Se. Leelee had agreed to help her until she figured out a true mission for herself and had been working there ever since…until the day she met _him_…

Leelee shook her head free of the thought again and found her hands accidentally glowing. She shook them until they dimmed back down to nothing and sighed heavily to herself. She had been forbidden to use her ability to bend light on palace premises unless it was used for one of her performances of which the royal courts were so fond. She intended to uphold that order as much as she could, even though sometimes she found it torture to not be allowed to interact with her own element, her own source of life energy. She allowed herself to break the rules a few times a week, usually in the dark of her chambers when she knew no one else was around. She would sit with her legs crossed upon her bed and meditate within her light, finding comfort in the warm memories of her past until she felt she could cope for a few more days without them. Then when the cravings became too much for her to bear later on in the week, she would meditate once more.

Tonight was not a good night for meditation. Not with her shoulder in such pain. There were too many distractions floating through her head and she simply wanted to fall asleep. She closed her eyes once more and unwillingly drifted into the past again. A tear rolled down her face as she began to recall, again, the series of events that led her to this place, to become His Highness Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation's personal prisoner and servant, a bird crying for freedom from within a gilded cage.

Welp! That's the end of the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! And you best believe there'll be more soon! Leave comments n'…stuff!


	2. Chapter 2: Beyond the Horizon

Hey again! Here's Chapter 2, rated MM if that's possible simply because I'm WAAAY too descriptive for my own good. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! (It was really fun.) Btw, I don't own Avatar or any of those characters. Wish I did….but I don't. Here we go!

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Chapter 2: Beyond the Horizon

She had always loved the canary-blossom tea her mother would dry, crush, and pack for her in the mornings. The flower grew wild and abundant in the Lightlands, but it took a true master like Leelee's mother, Matti to prepare it just the right way. Her mother had made a living off of her famous canary-blossom tea, and Leelee enjoyed the benefit of drinking as much as she wanted without paying the high prices.

The sun was setting beautifully from where she sat upon a grassy knoll in the hilly meadow. The horizon had turned all different shades of red, pink, and violet and the air was cool and sweet with the scent of meadow flora. As she sipped the tea she had boiled on a makeshift fire nearby, Leelee thought deeply to herself.

News reached the Lightlands at varying times, depending on when a rare Northern Water tribe vessel decided to pass through, bringing word from the warfronts and other faraway kingdoms. Leelee frowned. The Air Nomads had been faster to bring news than the Water Tribe barterers. But still, at least the news came, slow or fast, either way.

A few months ago, Leelee had still been lamenting for the fate of the world, its legendary avatar being lost. She had known about the Fire Nation taking advantage, a long time ago, of the unfortunate circumstances and initiating the war by attacking the Air Nomads' Northern Temple.

"Hmph," Leelee scoffed. Smart. They knew that an Airbender would be next in line to become the avatar. Better to have nipped it in the bud by extinguishing them all…..May Great Surya help all of their souls find peace. This life was too troublesome, anyway. Leelee fought back tears for her lost Air Nomad companions who she knew she would never see again.

Suddenly, a smile spread across her face.

But they didn't nip it in the bud. Just this week, a Water tribe cargo boat brought news from the faraway lands. The Fire Nation had failed. The avatar was alive, though Leelee did not know how, after over 50 years following the Air Temple attack. Stories of two young people from the Southern Water tribe who miraculously had found the long-lost avatar were spreading and spreading fast! All hope was not lost. However, after the three had visited the Northern Water tribe so that the avatar could learn waterbending, they left, and after that no other news about them was known.

Though Leelee had heard about this wonderful news this week, that bit of information had happened almost 5 months ago! And the Northern Water tribe, the only group of the faraway lands to keep in contact with those of the Lightlands, were too busy fending off Fire Nation attacks themselves to be able to keep track of the avatar's every move. However, rumor had it that certain members of the Fire Nation army were hot on the avatar's trail…trying to destroy him for good, Leelee had heard. She wondered what troubles the three brave travelers were forced to tolerate. She wondered about this war, and the ones so blinded as to think they could wrestle with the gods, spirits, and the very earth on which they all lived. She wondered about the innocents who fought and suffered to save their homes from the terrors the Fire Nation brought their way…And then she wondered no more.

"I must go, Mother," Leelee stated calmly as she, her mother, father, little sister, brother, and grandmother sat around their communal pot under the stars that evening, outside their homely thatch-roof compound. "It's not a question. I feel that….I _know_ that I'll be able to help. Something is telling me to go!"

Her mother, a dark-skinned, short and pretty woman, adorned with shell and beaded jewelry, wore a rare grimace on her face as she passed around a plate full of flat bread for her family to dip into the giant pot of firetrout stew.

"Leelee, do you comprehend the complexity of what you're saying?" her mother asked. "No one from the Lightlands has been to the four nations in over 70 years, and for very good reason! Once the attack on the Northern Air Temple happened, our only hope for keeping peace in our lands was to cut ourselves off. Now, we do receive news from the Northern Water tribesmen who come here every now and then. Let their news of the avatar returned bring comfort to your heart."

"But Mother, you don't understand! No one there has seen a Lightbender in so long! Our techniques, our skills could give the resistance an advantage that the Fire Nation knows nothing about!"

Leelee's father, Joko, a graying, sturdy man, with eyes the shade of the sun itself, smiled slightly.

"You know, she may be right, Matti. Our people have been underestimated because of our separation from the other kingdoms as well as our reluctance to involve ourselves with very consequential matters. This underestimation may be exactly what is necessary to help win this war."

"Joko," Mattie pleaded, "She could get hurt. Or worse."

"Nonsense!" He exclaimed. "With the techniques I've been teaching her? Come on, Matti. You've seen her in action! Leelee has officially been deemed by our King as, quite possibly, one of the best Lightbenders alive! She could wipe out an army with a snap of her finger. Couldn't you, Sweetheart?"

Joko, jokingly nudged his daughters shoulder. Leelee smiled back and comically cuffed at the air in front of her, shooting harmless balls of light past her mother.

"No contest, Dad!" Leelee's little brother and sister, Banu and Bia giggled wildly and clapped their hands at the glowing orbs as they whizzed past.

"Now, Joko!" Matti exclaimed amongst the giggles, "You shouldn't go telling her things like that! The Fire Nation is very dangerous!"

"I know that!" Joko retorted, "but at the end of all this are we to say that we still want to be a part of this very world that we live in when we so easily isolate ourselves from it in times of trouble?"

Matti slammed her fist into the ground angrily. "But why send our daughter?"

"ENOUGH!" came the exclamation from Leelee's grandmother. The giggling and bickering immediately ceased.

Leelee's grandmother, Joko's mother, Old Kanne, gingerly straightened her back where she sat, and leaned in towards Leelee. The look she gave her granddaughter spoke of decades of wisdom ready to be transferred to the next generation.

"My dear, do you really believe that you have something to offer the resistance…and this world by going to the four kingdoms?"

The gaze her grandmother gave her made Leelee delve deeply into her own mind and rethink everything she had said she wanted to do. She found her reasons once again valid and nodded, swallowing nervously. Kanne reached over and touched her granddaughter's hand. Leelee didn't have to look down to feel the warm glow of light lovingly surround her fingers, and palm.

"Then go, Leelee. For if not you, then who? You are strong, wise, and brave. Your heart is true, and I also know that you are what this war needs. You must go and help the avatar to set things in balance once more. For if the avatar fails, we will all pay, even we who have done nothing to help or hurt until now."

She pulled her hand away and gingerly sat back again, nodding.

"Go and help to set things straight, Leelee. You will be in my prayers."

With that she looked around at the rest of the family. Joko was smiling at Leelee proudly, nodding in agreement with his mother. Matti looked hurt and could only gaze at the limp piece of flat bread that she tore apart nervously in her hands. Banu and Bia chewed their food in silent anticipation of what was to come next. Leelee inhaled deeply, her body finding new strength and lunged toward her grandmother, wrapping her arms around the woman's shoulders.

"Thank you grandmother! I promise, I won't disappoint you!"

Her grandmother, slightly taken back by the impulsive gesture, stroked her granddaughter's wild and beautiful curly hair.

"I know you won't. Here." With that, Kanne pushed Leelee away slightly and removed a long cord from around her neck. On this cord hung a red and vibrant feather, emanating a warm, comforting light. She carefully placed it around Leelee's neck. Leelee, in bewilderment, grazed the feather with a finger, almost afraid to touch it, and looked back up at Kanne.

"Wh…What is it?"

"It's a phoenix feather, my dear. A testament to undying love, strength, and courage, and a family symbol. The only one left in this side of the Lightlands. May its light guide you as it has guided me these long years."

With that Leelee sniffed back a tear and lunged at her grandmother again.

"May Surya bless you and keep you, child."

"Thank you, Grandmother."

It had been decided that the next time a Water tribe cargo boat arrived in the Lightlands, Leelee would be ready to sail with it. The next boat was expected in 2 months and Leelee would spend every last minute of those two months training as well as emotionally saying goodbye to the only home she had ever known…her beautiful Lightlands.

Her days were long now. She would leave home early in the morning and train with her father until late into the afternoon. Many stragglers and passers-by gathered around to witness the awesome display that the two put on, rarely getting a chance to see Lightbenders in action, save for the annual competitions in Tiqsi, the Light King's Imperial city.

They marveled at Leelee's skill and quickness to learn and improve on techniques her father taught her. Many of the moves were well-known and traditional like the "Rising Sun," a move that allowed a Lightbender to quickly replenish their strength and drain their enemies of theirs at the same time, or the "Chakra," a move that encased the Lightbender's body within a suit of armor made of only light and allowed them to fling themselves like a spinning shuriken at oncoming enemy hoards, wiping out numerous foes at once by ricocheting from one to the other, severely cutting and burning everyone in the Lightbender's path.

These customary moves brought memories to the faces of the elderly and wonder to the youth witnessing the power of their peoples' traditions in action. The moves Leelee created herself, however, were even better to behold. Like one she named "Heavevn's Light," where she would concentrate the Sun's very own energy into a single beam that would fall from the sky in the shape of a gargantuan cylinder of light, which would immediately destroy anything caught where it struck the Earth. However, she could only hold this move for a second before she felt completely drained. But that's what the "Rising Sun" was for!

"Perfect! Absolutely beautiful, Leelee!" her father exclaimed, his clothing and hair comically scorched but his expression ecstatic. "You're ready!"

After hearing this, Leelee rushed towards Joko and wrapped her arms around him.

"You think so, Dad? You think I'm really ready to fight?" Joko laughed.

"Ready to fight? You were ready to fight when you were born. Now you're prepared to conquer!" Leelee let go of her father and jumped around in place happily. "And I've got another surprise for you!" he exclaimed, pulling a parchment from a satchel tied around his waist. He handed it to Leelee who opened it curiously and read it aloud.

"The next Water tribe cargo boat is set to arrive on the third day of this moon cycle, delivering shipments of Octoseal skins and fine peguinotter furs to be sent immediately to King Yuri's palace." Leelee thought to herself for a moment. "The third day of this moon…but that's tomorrow!" Her father nodded. Leelee looked at him in bewilderment and a slow smile crept across her face.

"Tomorrow," Joko repeated. Leelee squealed with excitement, spun in place for a second, and then seemed to come to a sudden realization.

"I've got so much to do! I've gotta go to woods! The meadow! Dad! I gotta go!"

And with that, Leelee began to race away, snatching up her satchel as she ran. Her destination seemed to be the leafy edges of the Lightland rainforests in the distance. Her dad waved to her chuckling heartily to himself.

"Ok, Dear! Just don't be late for dinner tonight! Your mother knows you leave tomorrow, too!"

"Ok! I'll be early!" she called and with that bolted towards the looming trees in the distance.

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There was a knock on her chamber door, almost undetectable. Leelee was only drifting in and out of sleep, her throbbing shoulder reminding her of where her reality was. It took her a moment to clear her head of the quickly fleeting sleep and she sat up in bed for an instant, trying to catch her bearings. She looked at the large, dark chamber doors and sighed heavily. The knocking came softly, again, so she gingerly got to her feet and scuttled towards the door. There was only one visitor whom she could expect at this time of night.

As she passed by her elaborately decorated dressing table and its huge mirror, she glanced herself over. She hadn't taken the time to undress before she fell asleep. Her crimson robes hung a little stiffly on her form and she smoothed them out as she arrived at the large chamber doors. The knocking came, again, heavier this time. She pulled at the handle to the door and opened it slowly, just enough to let the person who was behind it through.

Before her night visitor even appeared into the room from the darkness of the hallway, she had knelt down to one knee, her gaze averted to the floor. By and by, she heard the door softly shut, and in front of her appeared two leather boots of Fire Nation-style, both lined in pure golden embroidery. Leelee smirked at the decadence of the style. He usually doesn't wear things like this.

"His Highness has graced me with his presence at such a late hour."

The voice that replied never acknowledged her reverence.

"Do you like them?" came a man's voice from above her. The feet in her line of vision shifted as if showing the boots off. "Awful-looking if you ask me. Mai got them for me. Insisted I wore them today. They've been hiding underneath my bed for weeks."

A strange silence overtook the room.

"Well?" the male voice insisted.

"They're…eew," Leelee muttered.

"That's what I thought," the man's voice stated as two strong hands reached down to hold Leelee's wrists and pull her up to her feet. Their faces met. She gazed up at him, his hair in the traditional angular topknot of his people; adorned with the small, golden crown of fire only his head was worthy-enough to bear. His burning gold eyes peered at her, seeming to seer even into her skin. The pale skin of his face, set against his dark hair made one wonder if this man was born with a touch of divinity that even the Fire Nation's blazing sun wasn't powerful enough to scorch his flesh. Yes, Zuko was beautiful, this she knew, even more so in the regalia of his rank. This was the trap she always, almost willingly, let herself fall into.

"You…" she muttered and trailed off, letting her fingers graze against the scar covering the youth's left eye, seemingly, his only physical imperfection, an injury obtained from his father long ago which had bruised more than his flesh; an injury that had an invisible twin inside of Leelee's heart. She shook her head free of the cloudiness that had begun to consume it. "You're here very late. Is something the matter?"

Zuko shook his head.

"I just wanted to see you. I'm sorry I couldn't be with you by the pond today. Father's generals had a meeting today. He wanted me to attend."

Leelee frowned, knowing she was unable to share her true feelings on the matter.

"I…I see." Her thoughts were halted as Zuko swept a finger across her lips. He looked her up and down.

"It's ok," he whispered. "I know." Leelee didn't know how to feel about that statement. She tugged her face away from Zuko's touch.

"Do you?" she asked, and began to walk towards her bed. There she sat, gazing longingly out of her chamber window. By and by Zuko came to join her, sitting next to her on the bed. He gazed at her for a moment, and then reached to touch her hand. She flinched at the touch. Zuko frowned.

"Can't we just forget about it? While we're together? I know things are very difficult right now, but you'll see. Things will work out all for the better."

Leelee scoffed. The better. Was he serious? The fall of 3 of the 4 nations to a giant, fiery bully, and the almost certain fall to follow of the Lightlands kingdom. He meant as long as the Fire Nation won. Then he'd probably pull some strings for her. Set her up in a big house on a hill, far away from the palace where anyone could gossip about scandals like this…

"You know how I feel about you," he muttered, pressing his lips into her sore shoulder. The sting of pain jolted Leelee from her thoughts. She jumped from his touch with a gasp. Zuko eyed her strangely and without asking, reached towards the shoulder of her robe. She hesitated for a moment, but he insisted and forced the cloth on her shoulder off, revealing the dark bruise of 5 puncture wounds in Leelee's flesh. Zuko's golden eyes caught fire in a rage.

"Who?" was the only word he could force through in his characteristic fury. Leelee averted her gaze. Zuko immediately caught her by the wrists and forced her to look at him. "Tell me who did this!"

She remained silent for a long time. Finally her lips parted and she was able to force small words through.

"Lady Mai." She said nothing else, and quickly recovered the bruise with the cloth, taking Zuko's moment of surprise as an opportunity to pull her hands from his grasp.

"She did this?" Zuko asked, a twinge in his voice, his eyes piercing into hers. Leelee, no matter how hard she tried, could never keep his gaze. There was too much power in his glare. The very being of Agni, himself, dwelled within Zuko's glower. She averted her eyes, once more. " I'll talk to her," he muttered in a low voice. Leelee said nothing.

"That will only make it worse, you know."

There was silence again for a long time. Zuko reached out towards her and pulled her body up against his, holding her close.

"I'll be damned if you are harmed while under my watch," he said, tangling his fingers into Leelee's hair and brushing a few stray kisses against her cheek. Leelee longed to ask him so many questions. About the war. About the avatar, now thought dead. About her family. About plans for the 4 kingdoms assuming a victory for the Fire Nation…and about Zuko's personal opinions on all of this. There were many times Leelee could sense the confliction in his heart. Ever since she met him, she could see in him the desire to do right, but the pressure to do wrong. She was impatient to find out which one would win over Zuko in the end.

She felt him breathing against her neck. Batting playfully at the cloth on her shoulders, and gingerly slipping them off. He gathered a mass of her hair into his hand and pulled her head backwards so that he was peering over her. He planted soft kisses upon her mouth once, twice, three times, and ended with the sliver of his tongue grazing against her lips.

She wasn't in the right frame of mind for this tonight. Of course none of that mattered, because above all, she was obligated to always please His Highness in whatever way she could. This was supposed to be an unspoken gratitude for his pulling her from the dank halls of the Fire Nation prison where Zuko's own dear uncle was still imprisoned, and skillfully placing her among the fine silks and jewels of the palace. Truthfully, Leelee wished she were still within those dank walls, eating of the scarce prison food that was rationed to her, her dignity still intact, whereas here, she was nothing more than a courtesan with privileges, deemed the prince's companion gone astray, but granted a merciful sentence because of His Highness' pity. This sentence seemed worse than imprisonment, to her. For, what exactly had she become? She still couldn't answer this seemingly simple question. So, she stopped thinking.

His lips still pressed against hers, Zuko whispered into Leelee's mouth.

"Do it," he muttered in between kisses. "Once more. Do it."

She knew what he meant, and slowly turned her body around to face him. She lifted her palms upward and slowly, they began to glow. As her palms glowed she began to undo Zuko's regal robes until his body was bare save for the typical trousers that were common among Fire Nation men. She closed her eyes for a moment and leaned forward until her hands pressed against Zuko's skin, already unnaturally hot from excitement. She let a rush of energy begin to escape her palms and began to drag her hands down Zuko's exposed torso. His body began to shiver and he flung his head back, his mouth gaping in a silent moan as jolting waves of pain or pleasure, Zuko could neither tell nor care, flooded through his body. It was as if Leelee's light had taken on a physical presence and it had melded with his very core. As she continued, sound finally escaped Zuko's mouth.

"Oh, yes!" he gasped. "That's it." He flung his head back up to look at her, and in his trance, he reached out and tore at the front of her robes until he forced them off of her, exposing her breasts to the air. Leelee gasped at his sudden movement, her hands immediately losing their glow as she sat up, simply staring at him, trying to catch her breath. His hypnotizing eyes smiled at her, but no other expression showed on his face. Slowly, he sat up in the bed and reached up to his topknot, removing the crown from his head and placing it carefully on the table that sat nearby. He undid the topknot, allowing his outgrown hair to fall from its neat style into disarray.

Leelee couldn't hide the sudden smile that appeared on her lips for just a second. He was perfect this way. Something otherworldly, she thought. She always seemed flattered that he of all people would find her so attractive. Zuko leaned in towards her, crawling up to her and staring only at her eyes as his hands, very hot to the touch, met her skin. His fingertips grazed down over her nipples, making them perk up at the stimulation. She found herself lost, trapped again in those eyes. Only able to gasp for air that couldn't come fast enough as Zuko began to ravage her, tearing off the rest of her clothing, leaving her body bare and bejeweled, just the way he preferred her.

He buried his face into the skin of her abdomen, and breathed deeply. A sharp smile cut across his face. Her maids had caught on. Of course Zuko wasn't naïve enough to think that people had yet to find out about his unrelenting obsession with this girl. She was perfection to him. Nothing more to it. He loved her warm skin, her sweet eyes, her night-spun hair, and when he had first begun to have her, he thought that there was nothing that could make her more perfect than simply her bare features. Of course women have a way of improving everything, even perfection. As the servants had begun to find the remnants of their lovemaking here and there, ruffled and soiled sheets, torn clothing, broken or misplaced jewels, they had silently begun to improve upon the pair's pleasures out of a rather bizarre sense of courtesy and duty. The maids assigned to tend to Leelee began to adorn her body more "intimately," laying cords of gems across her breasts, and resting glittering jewels along every sensuous curve of her bodess, for His Highness' satisfaction. They even went so far as to dust her body lightly with cinnamon, honey, and other mystery confections after hearing His Highness constantly comparing her visage to such delicacies. Zuko was simply in heaven. He chuckled at the audacity of his servants and then laid his tongue heavily upon Leelee's skin, licking away the sweetness in its path. His tongue trailed up along her abdomen, over the curves of her bejeweled bosom and against her sweetened nipple where it lingered as he hungrily sucked and teased it with his tongue until her low moans had turned into whimpers of pleasure. Determined to make her cry out, he began to do the same to the other nipple, not stopping until he couldn't taste the honey any longer. Still she whimpered, her nails digging slightly into his back. He looked up at her, eyelids heavy with lust and smiled coyly.

"Now, now," he muttered, "surely you can be louder than that, can't you?" He paused as if actually waiting for Leelee, in her dazed state, to answer the question. Even now she could feel that knot in between her legs throbbing, begging already for him. With Zuko, it didn't take much.

She said nothing, only swallowed the lump in her throat and continued to stare into his burning eyes. Zuko grinned brightly and slowly allowed his attentions to go back to where they were needed, once more. He kissed the wetness left on her breasts from his tongue and began to make his way down her abdomen, letting his eyes linger along every curve of her body. It was amazing the things this girl made him feel, some of them feelings that he thought he might never feel again, and some of them new feelings he has yet to find words for. He wished he could go beyond this, beyond this infatuation, but it seemed that in this world, at least, this was the best way to express what he couldn't say. Zuko's brow grimaced as he felt the throbbing between his legs as well. Hmph. Already he wanted her, but his body would have to wait. Especially since there was so much pleasure to be found simply in watching Leelee squirm under him.

He came upon her thighs, rich and coated in sweetness. Was it of the servants' doing or was it Leelee's own essence, Zuko couldn't tell, and neither could he care. He kissed them, licked them over and over, purposely teasing around the place who's sweetness he truly wanted to taste without ever touching it. He waited, he held out until she was downright begging for him to do it, trying to buck her hips up to meet his mouth, halted only by his strong grip on her thighs. He chuckled.

"Let me hear it," he demanded. Leelee breathed heavily in frustration. She both despised and adored this part.

"Hear what?" she answered harshly. Zuko nipped at the areas around her womanhood again, making her cry out.

"Don't play coy," he smirked. "Now say it. I'm eager as well, you know. Do you?"

Leelee tried to buck her hips again, but it was no use. Zuko had as strong a grip as ever on her and he didn't plan to lose this battle. Leelee sighed heatedly in defeat, her intimate parts begging for her to yield to him.

"I surrender," she breathed, "to you…" she trailed off not wanting to finish their dirty game.

Zuko giggled at her defiance and stuck his tongue out, so close to her throbbing knot that she could feel the heat emanating from it.

"…_Your Highness_," she finished, letting her head loll to the side. Zuko snorted.

"You are a worthy opponent, my Love," and with that he delved into her, releasing her hips to meet his face and tasting the sweetness of her flower's nectar. Leelee cried out at the sudden rush of sensations that buzzed through her body as his tongue explored her every crevice, lightly flicking against her aching button and then hotly pressing against it, willing her to cum. Over and over again he sweetly tormented her until she could finally stand it no longer.

"Oh, Zuko," she exhaled, her body limp and burning from ecstasy. "I'm going to…" She couldn't even finish before the first spasm hit her. She cried out, incoherently as she felt herself cum, Zukos mouth still hot and heavy against her. He tasted her through the first and pulled away slightly as she continued to cum, only flicking his tongue lightly against her flower.

"Don't you dare!" she screamed as she felt him pull away and he only chuckled, as he saw her body cut into the spasms and the feeling begin to fade within her.

She lay there not knowing what to do with herself for a second, simply staring up at the ceiling. Finally she lunged at him, fists flying, pounding at his chest.

"You're horrible, you know that?" Zuko seemed amused, his eyes brightening and breath tempered as he grabbed her wrists and pinned her back down onto the bed. She tried to wrestle against him, which only served to turn them both on more and more. He kissed her lips until her body relaxed under him. He pulled away and looked at her, his eyes still bright and lively, his manhood throbbing underneath his trousers.

"You'll have your revenge," he laughed, letting her arms go. She instinctively knew what to do and began to tear at the cloth around his waist. Soon he was free of it, and his member was loose from its torturous binds. It sprung up, impressive and enticing, befitting a prince, and making her gasp and forget the enthusiasm at which she clawed for it but a moment before. It always surprised her how…_enticing_ it was.

"Oh, but you were doing so well!" Zuko teased and leaned onto an elbow, his head tilted comically. Leelee caught herself and didn't waste a moment. Her mouth met his manhood with zeal, sucking and licking, surprising Zuko and making his body tense up at his almost immediate response to her fervor. This was what she wanted. This was always how he got her, by teasing her into finally giving him the sweetest revenge.

A loud moan escaped his lips as her soft, wet mouth ravaged him almost to the point where he could no longer bear it. His hips began to buck and he nearly lost control when she pulled away for air and he saw the moisture left behind where her mouth had once been.

"Don't stop," he muttered.

"I won't," she whispered, with a grin, flicking her lips up against the head. Even before she did it, Zuko knew what was coming. She pleasured him, kissing his member, licking, sucking, and Agni knows what else until he could have sworn she didn't mean to torture him. His body began to release its tension as he felt himself about to cum, and just when his body began to spasm, she pulled away, and began to giggle. Crawling swiftly to the other side of the large bed. Zuko's head, which was then thrown back, shot up in astonishment and dazedly glared at her, a slightly crazed look on his face. He growled without meaning to and menacingly climbed up to grab Leelee's leg. The spirit of his very nature had taken over now and he dragged her roughly towards him, making her yelp in surprise. She stared up at him blankly; her body wet for him, her spirit afraid of the fire that she knew was about to overflow from him. He didn't even notice that steam was escaping his nostrils now, every time he exhaled, did he?

Zuko clutched her hips and dragged them up to meet his. He ground his manhood against her warm, wet opening until neither one of them could stand it any longer.

"Zuko," she cried out, "Do it now!"

Only then did he plunge into her, his manhood fitting perfectly, her curves wrapping over every delicious inch of him.

"UGH! By, Agni!" he yelled, his voice echoing off the walls as he began to move his hips. "Gods, don't let this end!" He focused all attention on her now, his piercing eyes knowing nothing else but her body writhing in front of him.

She wrapped her legs around him, one over his shoulder, and the other around his waist. He kissed her thighs heatedly as he began to slam into her enjoying the way the jewels thrashed about as her curves did every time he pounded. More, he wanted more. If only he could take every little bit of pleasure she had to offer him, now. If only he could wring her dry of the bliss she submitted to him. But he knew that tonight was just a taste of what Leelee could do to him, and that excited him even more.

Her fingernails dug into the sheets, as Zuko leaned into her, delving deeper inside her and ferociously bucking up against her. It seems that it was only the times when he wasn't between her legs that were the times when Leelee would forget why she allowed him to get this close to her at all. Like this, with Zuko and her frantically searching each other for something neither one could ever find in this place, she understood why they must be together. Not for what Zuko offered her physically, but because of how they complimented each other spiritually. She never knew why it took her so long to realize the close relationship between light and fire…

Suddenly she felt a tightness, heat, and tingling begin to grow in the pit of her stomach and it began to spread to every limb of her body. It was always like this. Perfect. She both adored and hated him for it. Her moans grew into cries of pure delight, and hearing her almost drove Zuko over the edge. He gripped her hips tightly, willingly allowing heat to flow through his fingertips, slightly marking into her skin. He bent over her and almost frantically licked the wounds upon her shoulder, then meeting her gaze.

"My most rare and precious flower," he exhaled as Leelee came with a cry, spasming and forcing him over the edge, as well. His body began to shake and he felt the fire flowing both into her and up through his chest. He leaned his head back and reflexively spat flames, exhaled steam, and shook his head free of the smoke as his body finally relaxed, well-spent.

He tottered over her exhausted form, grasping his head before almost collapsing onto her. He caught himself before he did, his two arms on either side of her. They looked at each other's faces, expressionless for a moment, and it was within that moment that they both knew that a way had to be made for them to be together. It always ended this way, Leelee thought… with wishful thinking.

Zuko plastered her face with loving kisses and then laid himself down next to her, their bodies so close together that she couldn't tell where she ended and he began. He pulled the sheets up over them both and began to caress her arm, unawares of the hum that had begun in his throat, an old Fire Nation song that he used to whistle when he was particularly happy. Leelee felt a small smile spread across her lips and she cuddled herself closer to him, smelling the deep, smoky scent of his skin and loving it. He chuckled and kissed her forehead. The song faded away and his gaze became distant as he held onto her. Leelee noticed this and stroked his cheek in concern.

"It's alright, Zuko…" His gaze met with hers, as if silently asking if things were really alright. "I know," she continued. "Things always work out for the better, in the end. Trust me." She smiled as reassuringly as she possibly could, though she wasn't really sure of what she said either, and kissed his lips sweetly. They gazed at each other until they both faded off into an exhausted sleep.

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That's the end of Chapter 2! Hot, I know. I apologize for the fact that I'm an entirely too descriptive person. : ) Chapter 3 coming up soon!


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